County jumps to third-place ranking as a national Top 10 Digital County

VENTURA, Calif. – For the third consecutive year, the County of Ventura has been named as a Top Digital County by the Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties.

The Digital Counties Survey identifies the best technology practices among U.S. counties, including initiatives that save tax dollars through efficiency, boost transparency, cybersecurity and engagement; or innovate through unique and exciting projects. The County finished in third place on the survey this year, up five spots from last year.

“Our Board of Supervisors has made the use of technology to better serve our residents a key strategic goal,” said County Executive Officer Mike Powers. “This award not only shows we are meeting that goal, it demonstrates that we’re among the best in the nation using technology and innovative solutions to conduct County business. This reflects our Board’s significant investment in technology as well as the vision and skill of our managers and workforce in utilizing these tools to enhance County services.”

This year’s significant jump in the standings can be attributed in part to the County’s belief in transparency. The County’s financial transparency website (www.ventura.org/government/financial-transparency) was upgraded with additional tools to help improve the decision-making process for county leaders.

There was also a project to use sensor networks to track water management performance and help shape water policies. In public safety, new dashboards are providing insights into recidivism trends and offender populations. A higher volume of caseloads in the Human Services Agency was eased by a transition to digital workflows, which in turn helped achieve efficiencies. Homelessness issues were addressed in part by a case management tool that allows several agencies to work together more effectively. And finally, the County has started accepting online basic types of building permits and inspection appointments, reducing or eliminating the need for applicants to travel long distances to counter locations.

“It’s not possible to attain a distinction like this three years in a row without County leadership that is committed to technology, and the people in Information Technology and in the departments throughout our system who never stop looking for new ways to innovate,” said Mike Pettit, Ventura County Chief Information Officer.

According to the National Association of Counties and the Center for Digital Government, county governments are adapting and innovating as new frontiers of technology are crossed. The Digital Counties Survey spotlights the ways counties are using taxpayer resources to deploy technology to enhance services and benefit residents.

“Technology is a tremendous driver of economic vitality,” said Powers, “Our IT department has many private and public partnerships that are helping to encourage innovation and turn our county into a technology hub. This achievement recognizes the quality of the technology the County is producing and validates our Board’s commitment to it.”

“Continuous improvement is a constant goal at the County,” said Pettit. “We moved up the list once again this year, but there’s still room at the top. That’s where we want to be.”